Janesville, Wis.—Dan Chesmore has a new appreciation for life. After suffering from kidney disease for many years, his uncle Rodney “Butchy” Chesmore donated one of his own kidneys to save his nephew’s life in February. The transplant was very costly, and he continues to face overwhelming expenses. Friends and family are planning a pancake fund-raiser to help.

Chesmore, 42, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) when he was 16. The disease progressed over time, and he was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease in July 2009.

A kidney transplant costs approximately $250,000. Even with health insurance, Chesmore faces significant medical expenses. For the rest of his life, he will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. The medications can cost as much as $5,000 per month, and they are as critical to his survival as the transplant itself.

He was forced to take time off work while enduring regular dialysis treatments prior to his transplant, adding to his financial strain.

To overcome these financial challenges, Chesmore and his family turned to the National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) for assistance. NFT is a nonprofit organization that helps transplant patients raise funds to pay for transplant-related expenses.

“We’re thrilled Dan received a second chance at life,” said Claire Prince, NFT fund-raising consultant, “but he still faces lifelong financial obstacles. Many people don’t realize the long-term financial challenges these patients encounter. At NFT, we’re helping Dan and his volunteers fund-raise so he can embrace his new life without having to worry about how to afford his medicine and follow-up care.”

Friends and family are planning a flapjack fund-raiser from 8 to 10 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 24, at Applebee’s, 3024 Milton Ave., in Janesville, Wis. Admission is $6 per person, and proceeds will be used to help Chesmore with his transplant expenses. Tickets can be purchased beforehand or at the event, and the general public is welcome to attend.

For more information, contact Gail Chesmore at (608) 289-6536 or racingrus27@yahoo.com.

To make a donation in honor of Chesmore, mail a tax-deductible gift to the NFT Wisconsin Kidney Fund, 5350 Poplar Ave., Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Be sure to write “in honor of Dan Chesmore” in the memo line. Secure donations also can be made online at transplants.org. Donors should click on “Patients We Help” to locate Chesmore.

National Foundation for Transplants

NFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Memphis, Tenn., that has been helping transplant patients overcome financial obstacles since 1983. NFT provides fund-raising expertise and advocacy to transplant patients by organizing fund-raising campaigns in the patients’ own communities. In the past 27 years, NFT has helped generate nearly $60 million to assist patients with their expenses.

NFT assists more than 1,000 transplant candidates and recipients nationwide. For more information about NFT, call 800-489-3863 or visit transplants.org.